Strength-testing device.



110,723,291. I PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

T JQMAITLAND.

STRENGTH TESTING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 21, 1901. m) MODEL. I

5 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

" No. 723391, PATENTED MAR. 24,1903.

J. MAITLAND.

STRENGTH-TESTING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION rmm zone. 21, 1901. no MODEL. a 8HEETS-SHEET z.

W M l k a m: Noam PETERS 50., FHDTO-LWHQ. WASHINGTON, u. c

PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

J MAITLAND. STRENGTH TESTING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEG. 21, 1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

Yu NORRIS rs rsns qi. wow-urns" yusnmumw. n4 0.

No. 723,291. v PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903 J. MAITLAND.

STRENGTH TESTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m1: Npnms PETERS c0, PwoTuuma. WASHWUTDN, u. c.

N 0,'723.,291. PATENTED MAR. 24,1903.

J. MAITLAND.-

STRENGTH TESTING DEVICE.

TAPPLIOATION FILED DEC. 21, 1901.

' H0 MODEL. BEHBETfi-SHEET 6.

u manna" i the testing devices.

against the head or plunger.

ren acres JOHN. MAITLANQJ onSvvA PSoo'rT, MASSACHUSETTS.

STRENGTH-TESTING DEVICE.

SZEEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,291, dated March24, 1903.

1 hpQlication filed December 21,1901. Serial No. 86,731. on) model- Toall *whoirqit may concern; 1 Be itknown that I, JOHN MAITLAND, a citizenof the United States, residing at Swamp- 1 scott, in the county of Essexand State of Massachusettshave invented an Improvement inStrength-Testing Devices, of which the following descriptiominconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likenumerals onrthe drawings representing like parts. l

This invention has for its object the production of an apparatus fortesting and registering the strength of an individual.

The device is so constructed that various tests may be made thereonsuch,for instance, as the force of a blow struck upon a head orplunger, thestrength of the grip, the amount that a person can pull with one arm,and the amount that a person can pullwith both arms when either his backor his chest is n The devices for making these various tests of thestrength may be independently operated; but they are all so related toeach other that the force expended in making each of the tests isrecorded by a single recording device. I have also provided a suitablelocking mechanism for locking thetesting devices in their inoperativeposition, and manually-operated means are provided for unlocking any oneof the testing devices when a test is desired to be made. g 1

The locking mechanism I prefer to employ is a coin-controlled lockingdevice and is so constructed that after one test has been made thetesting device operated is locked again, as well as allthe other testingdevices, so

that if a second test is to be made the t-esting device mustbe unlockedby the insertion of a second coin.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective'view of my improvedstrengthtesting device. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of theupper portion of said apparatus. Fig. 31s a back elevation of the devicewith the back plate removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the lockingmechanism for Fig. 5 is a view on the line mm, Fig. 3. 1 Fig.6 is adetail of the lockreleasing means. Figs. 7 and 9 are details hereinafterreferred to. Fig. 8 is aview of the dial. Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 areviews said full-line position.

showing aslightly-modified form of releasing device.

The various testing devices and the registering device are supportedinasuitable casing 3, which may be of any suit-able shape, it

being shown as having at its upper end a head 4, in the face of which isa suitable graduated dial 5, which will preferably be marked to indicatepounds. The registering mechanism comprises a suitable shaft or arbor 6,supported inany :convenient way on the face of the head, the said shaftor arbor projectingthrough the dial and having a pointer 7 mounted onthe end thereof in such a position that as the shaft is turned thepointer will move over the face of the dial to indicate the force inpounds expended in thus moving the shaft to any particular position. Theshaft has connected thereto a gear or pinion 8, which meshes with asegmental rack 9, pivoted, as at 10, to the front of the head. The rack9 is moved downwardly or in a direction to cause the arbor 6 to rotateforwardly by means of asuitable flexible connection,shown as a cord orchain 11, which is so connected as to be operated by the variousstrengthtesting devices hereinafter described, it being obvious that thedistance through which the pointer 7 is moved will be proportionate tothe distance that the rack 9 is turned by the flexible connection 11.

After any test has been made it is desirable that the pointer shouldremain in the position i to which it has been rotated, so that the exactn umber of pounds force expended in inak ing the test can be readilyobserved. As one convenient way of thus locking or maintainingthepointer in its indicating position -I have provided the hub of the rack9 with a ratchet 13, with which engages a suitable spring-pressed pawl14, the pawl'and ratchet being so constructed that the nose of the pawlwill click over the ratchet-teeth as the rack 9 is swung downward, butwill engage the said ratchet-teeth and prevent therack from returning tothe full-line position under the influence of the spring 15, which is soconstructed as to normally tend to bring the rack into A hand-lever 16is pivoted in any suitable way to the casing and is connected at one endto the pawl 14:, the

other end of said lever projecting outwardly through the head, as seenin Fig. 3

When it is desired to release the pointer 7, the lever 16 will be movedin the direction of the arrow, thereby disengaging the pawl 14 from theratchet 13 to enable the spring 15 to return the rack and pointer 7 totheir initial positions.

The various strength-testing devices will now be described.

A suitable frame 19 is carried by the interior of the casing, the saidframe having as part of its construction two parallel side rails orguideways 18, upon which is mounted to slide a cross-bar 20, the saidcross-bar being shown as having a central portion in the form of acollar and extended side wings 21, which extend over and rest upon thetracks or guideways 18. The collar portion of the cross-bar 20 hasconnected thereto a tubular plunger 23, which projects through a collar26 in the front of the casing 3, forming part of the frame 19, andcarries at its end a padded head 24. The frame 19 has rigidly secured tothe back portion thereof in any suitable way a cylindrical projection30, which extends toward the front of the machine and passes through thecollar 20 and telescopes into the plunger 23. This projection 30 fitsthe interior of the plunger 23 and acts as a guide therefor. A coiledspring 31 surrounds the projection 30 and engages at one end the backportion 32 of the frame 19, the other end of the spring engaging theback side 'of the collar 20, and for the purpose of properly centeringthe spring preferably provide the. collar 20 with a conical seat 33,which sets into the end of the coiled spring, and the portion 32 of theframe is provided with a similar conical seat 34, which serves to centerthe spring. A second spring is also employed, said spring being situatedon the interior of the main spring 31 and fitting tightly thecylindrical projection or guideway 30, one end of said supplementalspring 35 engaging the seat 34 and the other end engaging a collar 36,which is slidably mounted upon the guide 30. From this description itwill be seen that whenever the head 24 is pushed inward either by meansof a blow struck thereon or by means of constant pressure appliedthereto the collar 20 will be moved inward against the action of themain spring 31, and as the inward movement of the plunger continues theseat 33 will strike the sliding collar 36, when the further inwardmovement of the plunger is against the action of both the springs 31 andThe cross-bar or collar 20 is connected to the flexible connection 11 insuch a way that any inward movement of the said cross-bar draws upon theflexible connection 11, and thereby turns the rack 19, as I have abovedescribed.

One convenient way of connecting the cord 11 to the cross-bar is toprovide the cross-bar with a depending arm 37, having an eye 38, throughwhich the flexible connection 11 passes, the said cord passing around adirec tion-pulley 39, secured in any usual way to the frame 19.

The flexible connection 11 has attached thereto a button or stop 40,which engages the back side of the arm 37, from which it will be seenthat as the plunger 23 is moved inward the flexible connection 11 willbe drawn downwardly and the rack 9 oscillated to cause the pointer 7 tobe turned.

The relation between the springs 31 and 35 and the graduation-marks uponthe dial will be such, of course, that the distance that the saidsprings are compressed, by means of a certain definite force, will besuch as to cause the pointer to indicate upon the dial this same amountof force. 7

A suitable locking-pawl 41, which is pivoted to the frame 19, engagesone of the wings or arms 21 of the collar or cross-bar 20 and serves tolock the said collar, and consequently the plunger, in its initial oroutward position.

I have provided suitable manually-controlled releasing devices, which Iwill presently describe, for raising the pawl 41 from the full-lineposition to the dotted-line position, Fig. 4, to thereby release thecross-bar 20 and allow the plunger 23 to be moved in ward when it isdesired to make a test.

The mechanism I have thus far described is for registering the force ofa blow struck by the fist or otherwise upon the padded head 24, and themanner in which the force expended by the blow in moving the plungerinward is registered will be apparent without further description. 1Referring to Figs. 1 and 3. it will be see that suitable handholds 42are secured to the casing on either side thereof, the said handholdspreferably forming part of and being rigid with the back member 32 ofthe frame 19.

If a person desires to test the strength of his arms and chest, he willgrasp the handholds 42 and place his chest against the pad 24, when bydrawing himself toward the casing the strength of his arms and chest orthe force of the hug, as it may be termed, will be recorded.

If it is desired to test the strength of.v the arms, shoulders, andback, the operator will place his back against the head 24 and will thengrasp hand-grips 43, which are attached in any suitable way to thecasing. By pulling forwardly on the hand-grips 43 the piou ger 25 willof course be moved inwardly a distance corresponding to the strengthexpended in making the test and the recording devices operated as abovedescribed to indicate the force thus expended.

I have combined with the features above described means whereby thestrength of a persons grip or the amount that he can pull with one armmay be recorded.

The grip-testing device comprises a suitable frame or handle 44, whichis fixed rigidly to the front of casing 3 and which receives for slidingmovement a hand-grip 45, the said hand-grip having a stem 46 connectedthereto, which projects into the casing 3 and is connected to the lowerend of the lever 57. The other end of the lever has connected theretoone end of a spring 50, which is rigidly mounted upon a rock-shaft 49,which in turn is mounted in any suitable wayin the casing. The other endof said spring is made fast to the casing in any suitable way.

I have illustrated in Fig. 7 the lever 57 as having at its upper end aprojection 58, provided with a suitable eye to which the end of theflexible connection 11 is secured. In this embodiment of my invention Ihave illustrated the end "of the stem 46 as passing through the slottedlower end of the lever 57 and as having fast thereon a suitable head 47,which engages the back side of said lever, this construction beingpreferable because it makes apivotalconnection between the stem 56 andthe lever which has comparatively little friction.

Inmaking the gripping test the person will place the palm of his handover the handle 44 and place his fingers around the handle 45, when byclosing the fingers the handle 45 will be drawn outwardly and the lever57 rocked, to thereby draw upon the end of the flexible connection 11and turn the segmental rack 9, which in turn rotates the pointer,asabove described, the flexible connection during such operation beingdrawn through the eye 38, as will be obvious, without in any wayaifect-ing thecollar 20.

The pull-testing device comprises a handle 55 on the exterior of thecasing and having its stem 56 projecting into the interior of the casingand connected to the lower end of an operating-lever 48, which is alsofast upon the rock-shaft 49. i The upper end of said lever 48 hasconnected thereto any suitable spring 50, as described with reference tothe lever-57, while the lower end of said lever 48 is connected to thestem 56 in the same way as the lower end of' the corresponding lever 57is connected to its stem 46that is, the

. lower end of said lever is slotted and the end of the stem 56 projectsthrough the slot and is provided with a head 47, engaging the back sideof said lever.

In making the pulling test the person will grasp the handle 55 with onehand and brace testing devices each have a collar thereon, with whichcooperates a locking-pawl 71,

pivoted to the casing. These locking-pawls when in their normalposition, as shown in Fig. 2 and full lines, Fig. 4, serve to lock thehandles 45 and 55 from being operated; but when either one of said pawlsis raised to the dotted-line position, Fig. 4, it will be obvious thatthe corresponding testing device is free to be manipulated.

The releasing means for the various pawls 41 and 71 which I have chosento illustrate is a manually-controlled releasing means and alsonecessitates the use of a coin for its operation. The releasing deviceis so constructed that whenever it is operatedthrough the medium of acoin all of the pawls are simultaneously released, whereby all of thevarious testing mechanisms are unlocked ready for use.

In order to prevent more than one test being made by the insertion of asingle coin, I have so constructed my releasing mechanism that as soonas any one test is partially made all of the pawls except that operatingas the lock for the testing device being used are dropped back to theirinitial position, thereby relocking all of the testing mechanisms exceptthe one being used. These various ends are accomplished by providing .acoinchute into which the coin may be dropped and employing alock-releasing member in the nature of a stop or cover device whichsubstantially or partially covers the end of the chute and retains thecoin therein.

A suitable manually-operated plunger is in position to engage the coinafter the same has been dropped into the chute, the movementof theplunger crowding the coin against the cover and raising the same.

The lock-releasing member or cover is connected by suitable mechanism tothe pawls, whereby the raising of the cover lifts the pawls or releasesthem from the testing mechanism, thus unlocking the testing mechanism.

The partial completion of any test serves to release the coin from thechute and allow thecover or stop to drop back to its initial position,this movement permitting the pawls to resume their initial position.

One suitable coin-releasing device is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,wherein 83 designates the coin-chute into which the coin may be dropped,and 84 the cover or stop which normally lies across the lower end of thecoin-chute and serves to stop the coin and prevent its dropping from theend of the chute. The cover 84 is supported by a suitable arm 85, whichis hinged to the casing in any usual way, and said cover has projectingtherefrom an arm 86, which engages a slot in a cooperating arm 87, fastupon the pawl-releasing rod 81. The rod 81 plays in a suitable guideway80, secured to the casing in any usual way, and said rod has aprojection f 73 thereon, which extends under the nose of the pawl 41, asshown in dotted lines, Fig. 4. The coin-chute 83 is provided witha shelfor rest 88, which supports the coin when it engages the cover 84, and 89represents a tnanually-controlled plunger which is in a position toengage the coin when supported upon the rest 88.

When it is desired to release the pawl 41, a coin will be deposited intothe coin-chute 83, and the plunger 89 will then be pushed inwardly, thesaid plunger engaging the coin and forcing the same against the cover orlock-releasing member 84 to slightly raise the cover to a position shownin dotted lines, Fig. 4. The two positions of the coin when it is firstdropped int-0' the chute and after it has been forced inward by theplunger 89 are also indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The lifting ofthe cover will through the arms 86 and 87 raise the rod 81 sufficientlyto release the pawl 41 from engagement with cross-bar 21, when any oneof the testing operations which include the use of the plunger 23 may beperformed.

I would here remark that the inward movement of the coin caused by theplunger is not sufficient to force the coin entirely from the shelf orrest 88, though the coin is at this time just at the edge of the shelf,and while in this position the coin is held in its place solely by theweight of the cover 84 and the parts supported thereby, including therod 81 and pawl.

As stated above, my releasing device is preferably so constructed thatall of the pawls will be released simultaneously and by the singleupward movement of the rod 81. For

this purpose I have shown the pawls 71 as each being loosely mounted ona rock-shaft 77, suitablysupported in the casing, and have provided saidrock-shaft with arms 78 fast thereto, which arms are connected by a rod79. The arms and rod formabail-like device which is situated beneath thepawls 71, as shown. The rock-shaft 77 has another arm 125 fast thereto,which is connected to the lower end of the rod 81, as shown in Fig. 4.

From this construction it will be seen that whenever the rod 81 israised by the means above described not only is the pawl 41 raised, butthe rock-shaft 77 is rocked and the baillike device 78 79 is raised tothe dotted-line position, Fig. 4, thus releasing both of the pawls 71from their respective collars 70. The testing mechanisms are nowunlocked, and therefore any particular test desired may be made. Assoon, however, as any one individual test has been commenced suitablemechanism is thrown into operation to release the coin and allow thecover 84 to drop back to its initial position, thus permitting the rod81 and also the various pawls to drop back to their initial position.

The coin-releasing device shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 comprises a lifterwhich is adapted to be engaged by the sector when the sector has beenpartially rotated and which operates to raise the cover 84 sufficientlyto allow the coin to drop from the chute. The arm 86 on the cover isshown as extended in a position to be acted upon by a lifting-bar 91,which has an oifset portion at its lower end to engage the arm 86. Thesaid lifting device 91 is connected at its upper end to a rock-arm 92,mounted in any suitable way to turn about a pivot 74 and so as to beengaged at one end by a projection 93 on the rack 9 just after the rackhas begun its downward movement. When the projection 93 engages therock-arm 92, the lifter-bar 91 will be raised and the cover 84 will beopened sufficiently to allow the coin to drop from the chute. Preferablythe rock-lever 92 is provided with a pivoted pawl 150, with which theprojection 93 cooperates, the said pawl 150 being held in its operativeposition by a suitable stop 151, as shown. After the projection 93 hasengaged the pawl 150 and rocked the arm 92 to thereby raise the coverand release the coin the said projection passes off from the end of thepawl during the further movement of the rack, and the weight of theparts will return said rock-arm to its initial position and allow therod 81 to assume the full-line position. If the test is being made bymeans of the plunger 23, it will be obvious that as soon as the test iscommenced the arm 21 will move under the pawl 41, and thus hold the pawlelevated; but as soon as the test has been sufficiently commenced torelease the coin, as above described, the pawl 41 is in a position toautomatically drop back to the f ull-line position, Fig. 4, as soon asthe spring returns the plunger to its initial position. If the test, onthe other hand, is being made by means of the gripping or pull-testingdevice, it will be equally obvious that as soon as the test has beencommenced the collar 70 on the particular testing mechanism will bedrawn under the pawl to sustain the pawl cooperating therewith. As soon,therefore, as the coin has been released in the manner-above described,the pawl 41 will be allowed to drop back into position to lock theplunger, and the pawl 71,

cooperating with the idle testing devices, will is shown to illustrateclearly the operation of the device. The cover or lock-releasing member84 for the coin-chute 83 is carried by a hinged arm 85, as previouslydescribed, and said cover has projecting therefrom a pin 86, one end ofwhich engages an arm 180, pivoted at 181 to the casing in any suitableway. The free end of the arm has connected therewith two flexibleconnections 81 81", one of said flexible connections being operativelyconnected to the end of the pawl41 and the other of said connectionsbeing connected to the rock-arm 125 on the shaft 7 7, which, it will beby, through the connections 81 81 raise time.

or release the pawls. As soon, however, as

the coin is released, the cover will drop back to its initial position,and the flexible connections will allow all of the pawls, except thatcooperating with the testing mechanism being used, to resume theirinitial position.

In this embodiment of my invention the bottom of the shelf 88 isslotted, as shown in Fig. 13, and a coin-supporting finger 145, pivotedto the casing in any suitable way, normally rests against the bottom ofthe shelf and serves to close the coin-discharging slot therein. Thesaid finger is shown as being held in its operative position by means ofa controller,l 1erein shown as a cam 146, pivoted upon any suitablebracket 147, carried by the casing. Thecamhasintegraltherewithadrum 148,around which passes one or more times a flexible connection 150, theother end of said flexible connection being wound around and secured toa suitable drum 151, carried by the arbor 6. When now the arbor 6 isrotated in the direction of the arr ow,Fig. 10,

by means of the rack 9, as hereinbefore ex plained, thetfiexible'connection 150 will be Woundupon the drum 151 and unwound from the drum148, thereby carrying the cam 146 out from under the arm or finger 145,as illustrated in Fig. 13. The arm 145 will now drop by gravity, thusopening the slot in the bottom of the shelf-88 and allowing the coin toi i drop therefrom. Since the coin after it has been pushed inward bythe plunger supports the weight ofthe cover 84 andthe pawls, the exit ofthe coin from the chute is almost instantaneous the instant that thecontroller 146 is removed from its operative position. As soon as thecoin is released the pawls will resume their initial position, asalready explained.

I have demonstrated that the form of coinrelease illustrated in Figs. 10to 13 is quicker in its actionthan that illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4, andconsequently is better adapted for use when the force of a blow is beingtested by means of the plunger, for of necessity this latter test ismadein a very short space of From the above description it will be seenthat I have employed a single releasing means for all of the pawls, sothat whenever the said releasing means is operated all the testingmechanisms will for an instant be released. As soon, however, as any onetest has been commenced all the testing mechan- "isms except that beingemployed are immediately locked again and can only be released by theinsertion of another coin. This is force has been registered. Thissignal is shown in the form of a bell 100 on the interior of the head 4,with which a pivoted hammer 101 cooperates. The hammer 101 has an arm102, which is adapted to be engaged by an adjustable projection 103,carried by the sector, the said projection as it passes the arm 102turning the hammer 101 and allowing it to fall back upon and strike thebell. The projection 103 is shown as pivoted to the sector 9, so thatwhen the sector returns from the dotted-line to the full-line positionthe said projection will pass the arm 102 without operating the same.When, however, the sector is being moved in the opposite direction, theprojection 103 engages a. suitable stop 104 and is thus held inoperative position.

I have herein shown and may employ, if desired, in addition to thefeatures above enumerated, a fortune-telling device which operates inconjunction with the registering mechanism to tell the fortune of theperson making the test. For this purpose the dial 5 will be arbitrarilymarked to indicate various fortunes, as at 111, and the arbor 6 willhave thereon a suitable fortune-telling pointer 107, which of courserotates with the arbor, the said fortune-telling pointer passing overthe arbitrarily marked sections on the dial. When any test has beenmade, the pointer 7 will indicate the number of pounds expended inmaking the test and the pointer 107 will indicate the fortune of theperson.

While I have herein illustrated the best form of my invention now knownto me, it will be obvious that various changes may be made in theconstruction of the device without in any way departing from the spiritof the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a strength-testing apparatus, mechanism to test the strength of ablow, and griptesting mechanism, a single registering mechanismconnected to each of said testing mechanisms, a lock for each of saidtesting mechanisms, lock-releasing mechanism common to both said locks,and means whereby when either test has been commenced the lock for theother test is returned to its locking position.

2. In a strength-testing apparatus, mechanism to test the strength of ablow, pulltestlng mechanism and grip-testing mechanism, a singleregistering mechanism connected to each of said testing mechanisms, alock for each of said testing mechanisms, lock-releasing means common toall of said locks, said means including a coin-chute, means actingnormally to retain the coin in operative position in the chute, andmeans to release the coin as soon as any one test has been commencedwhereby all the locks except the one for the testing mechanism inoperation are returned to their locking position.

3. In a strength-testing device, a registering mechanism, a plungerhaving an exposed head adapted to receive a blow, a predeterminedresistance opposing t-he movement of the plunger in one direction, aplurality of fixed handholds, combined with a grip-testing mechanism anda pull-testing mechanism, operative connections between the registeringmechanism and each of the testing mechanisms, a lock for each of saidtesting mechanisms, a releasing device common to all of the locks, saidreleasing device including a coinchute, a movable member adapted to beengaged by the coin and operating to release the locks, and means torelease the coin when any one test has been commenced whereby all of thelocks except the one for the testing mechanism inoperation will returnto their locking position.

4. In a strength-testing apparatus, a plurality of independent testingmechanisms, a locking device for each of said testing mechanisms, and areleasing means common to all of said locking devices, and means wherebywhen any one test has been commenced the locks for the other testingmechanism are returned to their locking position.

5. In a strength-testing apparatus, a plu-- of said testing mechanisms,coin-controlled releasing means common to all said locking devices, andmeans actuated by the registering mechanism when the latter begins torecord the force expended in making any individual test, and operatingto return all of the looking devices except that controlling the testingmechanism being operated to their operative position. 7. In astrength-testing apparatus, a plural ity of independent testingmechanisms, alocking-pawl serving normally to lock each testingmechanism, a coin-controlled releasing mechanism common to all of saidpawls, and means whereby as any one test is commenced the pawls for theother testing mechanisms are returned to their normal or operativeposition, the construction being such that but one test can be made bythe insertion of a single coin. Y

8. In a strength-testing apparatus, a registering mechanism, a plungerhaving an exposed head, an arm on the inner end of the plunger, apull-testing mechanism independent from the plunger, a flexibleconnection between the registering mechanism and the pull-testingmechanism, said flexible connection passing loosely through the arm onthe plunger and a button on said flexible connection engaging the backside of the arm,whereby the flexible connection may be operated eitherby the plunger or the pull-testing mechanism independently, independentlocks for the plunger and pull-testing mechanism, coincontrolledreleasing means common to all of said locks, and means whereby when onetest has been commenced the locks for the other testing mechanism arereturned to their normal position.

9. In a strength-testing device, a plurality of independent testingmechanisms, a registering mechanism common to all said testingmechanisms, a coin-controlled manually-operated releasing device for allof the pawls, and means actuated by the registering mechanism when ithas begun to record the force expended in making any individual test torestore the releasing means to its initial position, whereby all thepawls except that controlling the testing mechanism in use are returnedto their normal position.

10. In astrength-testing apparatus, a plurality of independent testingmechanisms, a registering mechanism common to all said testingmechanisms, a locking-pawl for each of said testing mechanisms, areleasing device common to all said pawls, a coin-chute, a manually-operated plungeradapted to engage a coin in the chute and forcethe same against the releasing device to release the pawls, and meansoperated by the registering mechanism as it begins to record any test torelease the coin and allow the releasing device and pawls to resumetheir normal position.

11. In a strength-testing mechanism, a plurality of testing devices formaking difierent tests, a registering mechanism common to all saidtesting devices, a locking-pawl for each of said testing mechanisms, acoin-chute, a movable stop to engage the coin connections between saidstop and all the pawls, a manually-operated plunger adapted to engagethe coin when against the stop, manual operation of the plungerpartially removing the stop and releasing all the pawls, and meansactuated by the registering mechanism as it begins to record anyindividual test to momentarily remove the stop from the path of the coinand allow the coin to drop, the said stop and all the pawls but the onecontrolling the testing mechanism in use resuming their initial positionaft-er the coin is dropped.

12. In an apparatus of the class described,

a testing mechanism, a registering mechanism, a lock for the testingmechanism, a releasing device forsaidlock including a coinchute having acoin-discharging slot, a movable coin-retainin g member normally closingsaid slot, means governed by the registering mechanism tocontrol theposition of said movable member, whereby when said registering mechanismbegins to record a test said movable member is removed from the path ofthe coin and the coin is'allowed to be discharged.

13. In an apparatusot the class described, aregistering mechanism, atesting mechanism, a lock therefor, a releasing device for said lock,said releasing device including a coinchute having a coin-dischargingslot, a finger normally closing said slot, a controller therefor,connections between said controller and registering mechanism wherebywhen the registerin g mechanism begins to record a test thecontrollei'allows the finger to open the slot for the discharge of thecoin.

14. In a strength-testing apparatus, testing mechanism, a lock therefor,a coin-chute, a movable lock-releasing member in the path of the coin,means to positively place the coin into position to move thelock-releasing members to release the locks, and means to retain saidcoin in such position until the test has been commenced, and automaticmeansto release the coin upon the commencement of the test and beforethe test is completed.

15. In an apparatus of the class described, testing mechanism, a coincontrolled lock therefor, including a coin-chute, means to positivelyplace a coin in operative position in said chute; means to retain thecoin in such position until the test has been commenced, and means torelease the coin upon the commencement of the test and before the testhas been completed.

16. In a strength-testing apparatus, a registering mechanism, a testingmechanism, a coin-controlled lock therefor including a coinchute, amovable lock-releasing member normally in the path of the coin, means topositively force the coin against said member to move the samesufficiently to release the lock, means to retain the coin in suchposition, and means operated by the registering mechanism to release thecoin before the test has been completed.

17. In a strength-testing apparatus, testing mechanism, acoin-controlled lock therefor, including a coin-chute, a movablelock-lifting member normally in the path of the coin, means topositively force the coin against said member to move the lattersufficiently to release the lock, means to retain the coin in suchposition until the test has been commenced, and means to release thecoin before the test has been completed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MAITLAND.

Witnesses:

, ARTHUR H. DANFORTH, OAKMAN A. WEBBER.

